Jerry Banks

Handbook of Simulation

Objects. The ~ b s t rac t ~ b j ect forms the fundamental base class for the entire design and all other classes are derived from this base class. The Abstract Object class defines and characterizes all the essential properties every class in this 404 OBJECT-ORIENTED SIMULATION

Introduction to simulation

This introduction begins with an example of simulation done by hand. Modeling concepts in simulation are then introduced based on the example. Next, the advantages and disadvantages of simulation are discussed. The introduction ends with a discussion of the steps in a simulation study.

Discrete Event Simulation

DISCRETE EVENT SIMULATION Jerry Banks Marietta, Georgia 30067 Initially published in the Proceedings of the 1999 Winter Simulation Conference (ed. P.A. Farrington, H.B. Nembhard, D.T. Sturrock, G.W. Evans) pp. 7-13. I. KEY TERMS II. ABSTRACT IiI. DEFINITION OF SIMULATION IV. SIMULATION EXAMPLE V. MODELING CONCEPTS VI. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF SIMULATION A. Advantages B. Disadvantages C. Offsetting the disadvantages VII. STEPS IN A SIMULATION STUDY VIII. REFERENCES

Panel session: opportunities for simulation in supply chain management

It has become a matter of survival that many companies improve their supply chain efficiency. This presents an opportunity for simulation. However, there are many challenges that must be overcome for simulation to be a contributor to play an effective role. Four contributors discuss the opportunities that they see for simulation to play a meaningful role in the area of supply chain management.

Software for simulation

This tutorial describes computer languages and other software packages that support discrete-event simulation.

Real-time control of a manufacturing cell using knowledge-based simulation

The need for integrated simulation environments for modeling and analysis is advanced. A mathematical framework based on higher-level abstractions representing entities, attributes, constraints, and other components of manufacturing cells is presented. A manufacturing cell has been modeled to illustrate the framework and real-time control issues using knowledge-based simulation. A temporal knowledge base has been designed to synchronize the events and their times of occurrence in both the manufacturing cell and the simulation model. A dynamic knowledge base has been implemented using frame structures for storing the results of simulation. This feature provides a faster response to a control problem by reducing the number of resimulations conducted for evaluating various alternative policies in real time. The proposed real-time knowledge-based simulation system has been applied to a manufacturing cell connected to a variety of materials handling systems.<<ETX>>

Simulation studies of multiclass queueing networks

Multiclass queueing networks have been used to model communication and complex manufacturing systems. Recent results have shown that these networks can be unstable in the sense that the total number of jobs in the network explodes as time tends to infinity even if the traffic intensity at each station is less than unity. Simulation is used to demonstrate these unusual phenomena. Conjectures based on simulation are presented.

DESIGN OF A KNOWLEDGE-BASED ON-LINE SIMULATION SYSTEM TO CONTROL A MANUFACTURING SHOP FLOOR

In this paper, the design principles of a new knowledge-based on-line simulation (KBOLS) architecture for the purpose of integrating the supervisory decision making process with a shop floor control system is discussed. The requirements for implementing the KBOLS architecture in a computer integrated manufacturing environment are presented. The special features of the KBOLS architecture include a knowledge-based controller capable of interacting with the shop floor and a manufacturing simulator, a shared blackboard data structure for knowledge bases, and a learning module. The KBOLS architecture is implemented in a flexible manufacturing system for analyzing interruptions due to machine breakdowns and rush orders.

Process-interaction simulation languages

A number of currently available simulation languages are based on, or offer, the process-interaction approach to simulation; among these languages are GPSS/H, SIMAN, SIMSCRIPT II.5 and SLAM II. This paper provides an introductory survey and descrip tion of these four languages, plus a briefer mention of a number of others. First, we give general information regarding the languages, including a brief description of the languages perspec tive, computers on which it is implemented, the address and telephone numbers for information, a partial listing of relevant texts and manuals, and presently available short courses on language instruction. Second, we explain the perspective of the four languages in greater detail, and model an example problem using each language. An overview of each solution plus a detailed statement-by-statement description is given.

The future of simulation software: a panel discussion

Panelists represent vendors of simulation software. Six of the panelists present their position on the question, “Where do you see simulation software headed?” The panelists are given seven areas as suggestions for their response.